Wheel flange oiler



Oct. 12, 1937. P. H. HAMILTON WHEEL FLANGE OILER 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 27, 1929 Oct. 12, 1937. P. H. HAMILTON WHEEL FLANGE OILER Filed Sept. 27, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 12, 1937. P. H. HAMILTON 2,095,497

' WHEEL FLANGE OILER Filed Sept. 27, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Oct. 12, 1937 PATENT OFFICE WHEEL FLANGE OILER Perry H. Hamilton, Baltimore, Md., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Poor & Company, a corporation of Delaware Application September 27, 1929, Serial No. 395,702

. v 17 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and 'useful improvements in wheel flange oilers, and

more particularly to an improved device for dis tributing lubricantto the inner face of the'rail head of a rail and the inner faces of the car wheel flanges in railroad equipment.

Numerous deviceshave heretofore been proposed for lubricating the engaging inner faces of wheel flanges and rails, particularly along curves where centrifugal force causes an. enormous lateral thrust of the wheel flanges against the rail and the Wear of these engaged parts is considerable unless they are properly lubricated. The present invention relates to improvements in an apparatus of the type embodying an oil-pumping mechanism operated by the car wheels as they pass along the rail, in combination with distributing means supplied with oil by the pumping mechanism whereby the oil is spread along the inner surfaces of the car wheel flanges. 7

One object of the invention is to provide a means for distributing the oil from'a'single pumping mechanism at a plurality of longitudinally spaced points along the rail, in combination with wiping means for spreading the oil from the several distributing points upon the inner faces of the car Wheeljflanges.

Anotherobject is to provide an improved vertically adjustable Wiping and'distributing means. Another object is to provide an improved means for mounting the wiper and distributer at therail side. i

' Another object is to providean improved driving means for the pumping mechanism, said driv- 35 ing means being positively actuated in two directions by the car wheels.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of one approved form of mechanism involving the principles of this invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus assembled on the rail andvadjacent thereto.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the distributing mechanism at the inner side of the'rail.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section, on a'larger scale, taken substantially on the line 3 .-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. l is a transverse vertical section, on a still 50 larger scale, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a detail'side'elevation of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is an elevation of aportion of the pump- 55 operating mechanism. I 1

g. 7 is a detail plan view of the pawl and ratchet mechanism. The oil supply mechanism comprises a metallic casing I, all except the upper portion of which may be embedded in the road-bed 2 adjacent the 5 outer side of the trackway. The upper portion of this casing houses an oil reservoir provided with a cover 3 hinged to the main casing at 4 and provided at 5 with any suitable latching mechanism for holding the .cover in closed position. The casing I also houses a suitable pump, which may be, for example, of the rotary intermeshing gear type, for positively feeding the oil from the reservoir through a discharge conduit 6. The pump is driven by the rotary shaft 1 projecting from the upper portion of the casing. This oil supply mechanism may be of any suitable form.

Filler'plates 8 and 9 are secured to the outer side of rail it] between the head II and base flange 12 thereof by any suitable means, such as either side of the pivotal axis I6, these cam portions being so proportioned that one or the other of them must extend a substantial distance above the tread surface of the rail at all times. It will be apparent that as thejcam surface llis depressed, the' similar cant surface I8 will be elevated and vice versa. As a Wheel passes along the rail, the tread of this Wheel will successively engage the elevated portions I1 and E8 of the operating bar I5 and positively rock this bar successively in two opposite directions.

A rotary driving shaft i9 is journaled in brackets 20 and 2! supported by the filler plates. A ratchet Wheel 22 is mounted on the shaft Hi. The rotary driving shaft l9 and the rotary actuating shaft '1 of the pumping mechanism are operatively connected by a flexible shaft coupling consisting of universal joints 23 and 24 and an intermediate telescopic shaft section 25.

A bracket 26, is mounted on one end of operating bar l5 by means of clamping bolts 2i extending through a slot 28 in the bracket, whereby the position of the bracket may be vertically adjusted. A pair of pawls 29 and 36, shaped to engage opposite sides of the ratchet wheel 22, are pivotally mounted on a pin 3| carried by the lower arm of bracket 26 below the driving shaft IS. A spring 32 is connected between the pawls 29 and 30 to hold both pawls yieldably in engagement with the ratchet wheel. It will now be apparent that as a car wheel passes along the rail ID from left to right, as seen in Fig. 6, the tread of the wheel will firstengage the raised cam portion ll of operating bar l5 and depress the left hand arm of the bar, thereby causing pawl 30 to rotate the ratchet wheel 22 and shaft IS a short distance in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 6. The spring 32 will yield to permit the other pawl 29 toslip down and engage a new tooth of the ratchet Wheel. As the car wheel passes further to the right, it will engage the other elevated portion N3 of the operating bar I 5, thus rocking the bar in the opposite direction and elevating the left hand end of the bar, and causing pawl 29 to impart a further clockwise rotation to the ratchet wheel 22. The spring 32 will yield at this time to permit the other pawl 33 to slip upwardly and engage with a new tooth of the ratchet. It will thus be seen that the passage of a car wheel along the rail (in either direction) will impart successive rotative movements in one direction to the driving shaft l9. This movement of shaft l9 will be transmitted through the flexible shaft connection already described to the pumping mechanism in casing I, so as to cause a stream of oil to be slowly forced out through the discharge conduit 5. The flexible shaft connection between the operating means on the rail and the pumping mechanism will permit the parts to operate properly, even though the casing I is not exactly aligned with the mechanism on the rail, and will also permit the rail and parts carried thereby to weave vertically as a train passes thereover without affecting the positioning of casing I.

Along the opposite or inner side of the head I l of rail H is mounted the distributing plate 33 having an upper beveled surface 34 adapted to fit against and engage the inner surface of the car wheel flange. This bar 33 is of considerable length, and a plurality of spaced oil outlets or pockets 35 are' positioned at spaced intervals in the upper tapered edge portion 34 of the plate. A longitudinally extending main oil channel or conduit 36 is formed in the front face of plate 33, and a plurality of branch oil passages 31 lead upwardly from this channel 36 to the several oil discharge pockets 35. The distributing plate 33 is secured by means of a plurality of bolts 38 to the upwardly extending flange 39 of a supporting bar 40 of right angled cross-section. The plate 39 serves as a closure for the open front sides of the oil conduits 36 and 31, and an inlet pipe or conduit 4| mounted on the horizontal flange 42 of the angular supporting member 43 at a position intermediate the ends thereof, communicates through a passage 43 formed in this supporting member with the main oil channel 36 in the distributing plate 33.

In the example here shown, the distributing mechanism just described is supported from the base flanges I2 of the rail if]. A plurality of supporting clamps each consists of blocks 44 and 45 notched to engage the opposite base flanges of the rail, the lower'portions of these, blocks being perforated to receive a clamping bolt 46, by means of which the blocks are clamped securely to the rail. A fulcrum screw 41 is threaded at 48 in the outer portion of horizontal flange 42 of supporting plate 40, the lower end of this screw 4! engaging in a socket 49 in the upper face of supporting block 44. A look nut 50. holds the screw 4'1 in its adjusted position in the flange 42. A bolt 5| is threaded at 52- in the supporting block 44 and extends freely upwardly through opening 53 in plate 42. A nut 54 on the upper threaded end of bolt 5| serves to engage the upper surface of plate 42 and force this plate downwardly. It will now be seen that the lower outer edge of the right angles distributing assembly is supported on blocks 44, by means of the fulcrum screws 41, and that the upper edge portion of the assembly is supported against the rail head H] by the engagement of the distributing plate 33 therewith. The assembly is held downwardly in this position by the nuts 54 on the threaded bolts 5| which force the assembly downwardly against plate 44 and laterally against the rail. It will now be apparent that by properly'adjusting the fulcrum screws 41 and the nuts 54 on the bolts 5|, the vertical position of the distributing plate 33 at the side of the rail head may be adjusted as desired, so as to secure the proper position for engagement with the inner side of the car wheel flanges.

A rigid metallic pipe section 55 is passed under the track and connected at one end by flexible conduit 5'! with the discharge outlet 6 of the oil supply mechanism, and at the other end by a flexible conduit 58 with the inlet pipe 4| of the distributing mechanism. The flexible connections 57 and 58 will permit the rail and parts carried thereby to move relative to the oil supply mechanism, and will also permit the distributing plate to be adjusted vertically, as hereinabove described.

The oil or other lubricant used in this apparatus will be quite thick or heavy and it is not desirable that this lubricant be projected outwardly from the distributing pockets 35 with any force, but it should merely be caused to ooze up in these pockets so as to stand out in the path of the car wheel flange and be smeared thereon and along the beveled wiping surface 34 of the distributing plate so as to uniformly lubricate the entire wheel flange and subsequently be carried by the wheel flanges onto the inner surface of the rail head along the adjacent curve. It will be noted that the successive impulses given to the pumping mechanism are quite small, and the single stream of lubricant forced out by the pump is divided between a plurality of discharge openings or passages 35'so that the lubricant will not be forcibly ejected" from the pockets, but will be slowly fed thereto and subsequently wiped away by the passing wheel flanges.

It is to be understood that the term oil, as used in the specification and claims is intended to cover all heavy lubricants capable of flowing, or being forced, through the conduits or passages herein disclosed.

I claim:

1. In a wheel flange'oiler, in combination with a reservoir, mechanism for pumping oil from the reservoir, and means for delivering this oil to the wheel flange, means for operating the pumping mechanism comprising an operating bar intermediately pivoted adjacent the track rail and having a portion at each side of its pivotal connection elevated above the tread of the rail into the path of a car wheel, and means connected with one end of the bar whereby each successive movement thereof will operate the pumping mechanism to force oil from the reservoir.

2. In a wheel flange oiler, in combination with a reservoir, mechanism for pumping oil from the reservoir, and means for delivering this oil to the wheel flange, means for operating the pumping mechanism comprising an operating bar intermediately pivoted adjacent the track rail and having a portion at each side. of its pivotal connection elevated above the tread of the rail into the path of a car wheel, a-rotary shaft fordriving the pump mechanism, and connectionsbetween the operating bar and shaftfor imparting successive rotative movements in the same direction to the shaft as the bar is oscillated in both directions.

3. In a wheel flange oiler, in combination with a reservoir, mechanism for pumping oil from the reservoir, and means for delivering this oil to the wheel flange, means for operating the pumping mechanism comprising an operating. bar intermediately pivoted adjacent the track rail and having a portion at eachside of .its pivotal con.- nection elevated above the tread of the rail into the pathof a car wheel, a rotary shaft for driving the pumping mechanism, a ratchet wheel on the shaft, and a pair of pawls carried by one end portion of the bar and engageable with opposite sides of the ratchet wheel to impart an intermittent rotation to the shaft in one direction as the bar is oscillated by a car Wheel successively engaging the elevated portions of the bar. r

4. In a wheel flange oiler, in combination wit a reservoir, mechanism for pumping oil from the reservoir, and means for delivering this oil to the wheel flange, means for operating the pumping mechanism comprising an operating bar intermediately pivoted adjacent the track rail and having a portion at each side of its pivotal con- 'nection elevated above the tread of the rail into the path of a car wheel, a rotary shaft for driving thepumping mechanism, a ratchet wheel on the shaft, a bracket adjustably carried by one end portion of the bar, apair of pawls pivoted on the bracket and positioned to engage opposite sides of the ratchet wheel, and means for yieldingly holding the pawls in engagement with the ratchet wheel. H

5. In a wheel flange oiler, in combination with a reservoir, mechanism for pumping oil from the reservoir, and means for delivering this oil to the wheel flange, means for operating the pumping mechanism comprising a .flller block secured at one side of the rail between the'head and base flange thereof, an operating bar intermediately pivoted on the filler block so as to oscillate in a vertical plane adjacent the side of the rail head, the bar having cam portions at each side of its pivotal connection projecting above the tread of the rail into the path of. a car wheel, a rotary shaft for driving the pump mechanism, and a pair of pawls pivotally carried by one end portion of the operating bar and adapted to engage opposite sides of the ratchet wheel.

6. In a wheel flange oiler, in combination with a reservoir, mechanism for pumping oil from the reservoir, and means for delivering this oil to the wheel flange, means for operating the pumping mechanism comprising a filler block secured at one side of the rail between the head and base flange thereof, an operating bar intermediately pivoted on the filler block so as to oscillate in a vertical plane adjacent the side of the rail head, the bar having cam portions at each side of. its pivotal connection projecting above the tread of the rail into the path of a car wheel, a rotary shaft for driving the pump mechanism, a bracket adjustably carried by one end portion of the operating bar, a pair of pawls pivoted in the bracket and positioned to engage opposite sides of the ratchet wheel and means for-yieldingly holding the pawls in engagement with the ratchet.

- 7. In a wheel flange oiler, in combination with ayreservoir, mechanism for pumping oil from thereservoir, and means for delivering this oil to the wheel flange, means for operating the pumping mechanism comprising a rotatable shaft, a ratchet wheel on the shaft, a member mounted adjacent the rail head and adapted to be positively oscillated in both directions by engagement with a car wheel, and pawls carried by the member and engaging the ratchet.

'8. In a wheel flange oiler, a lubricant distributing. member comprising a plate adapted to be'positioned longitudinally of a rail at the inner side thereof and having a beveled upper edge portion shaped to engage the inner surface of a wheelflange and serve as a wiping means, means formed in the member'for delivering lubricant at spacedintervals to the upper edge portion of the plate, supporting members adapted to be clamped to the rail base, and adjustable con-. nections between the distributing member and supporting members whereby the distributing member can be raised or lowered at the side of,

therail head. a

9. In a wheel flange oiler, a lubricant distributing member comprising a plate adapted to be positioned longitudinally of a rail at the inner side thereof and having a beveled upper edge portion shaped to-engage the innersurface of a wheel flange and serve as a wiping means, means formed in the member for delivering. lubricant at spaced intervals to the upper edge portion of the plate, the distributing member also comprising a flange extending horizontally from its lower portion, supporting clamps adapted to be secured to the rail base, and adjusting screws securing the horizontal flange to the supporting clamps whereby the distributing member can be adjusted vertically at the side of the rail head.

10. In a wheel flange oiler, a lubricant distributing member comprising a plate adapted to be positioned longitudinally of a rail at the inner. side thereof. and having a beveled upper edge portion shaped to engage the inner surface'of a wheel flange and serve as a wiping means, there being a lubricant channel formed longitudinally of the plate, a plurality of open oil pockets formed in the upper beveled edge portion of the plate, and distributing channels leading from the main lubricant channel to the several pockets, a supporting plate comprising vertical and horizontal flange portions extending at substantial right angles to one another, the distributing plate being attached to and supported by the vertical flange, a plurality of supporting clamps adapted to be secured to the rail base, and means for adjustably supporting the horizontal flange of the supporting plate from the clamps.

11. In a wheel flange oiler, a lubricant distributing member comprising a plate adapted to be positioned longitudinally of a rail at the inner side thereof. and having a beveled upper edge portion shaped to engage the inner surface of a wheel flange and serve as a wiping means, there being a lubricant channel formed longitudinally of the plate, a plurality of open oil pockets formed in the upper beveled edge portion of the plate, and distributing channels leading from the main lubricant channel to the several pockets, a supporting plate comprising vertical and horizontal flange portions extending at substantially right angles to one another, the distributing plate being attached to and supported by the vertical flange, a plurality of supporting clamps adapted to be secured to the rail base,. fulcrum screws mounted adjustably in the outer portion of the horizontal flange and resting on the supporting clamps, and anchoring screws for holding the inner portion of the horizontal flange downwardly toward the clamps.

12. In apparatus for lubricating a track rail, clamping means extending beneath the railbase and engaging the side flanges thereof, an operating means adapted to be actuated by a passing car wheel and supported at one side of the rail, a means for discharging lubricant between the railheacl and a car-Wheel flange supported by the clamping means at the other side of the rail, a lubricant reservoir and means for delivering lubricant therefrom supported entirely independently of the rail and remote therefrom at the side of the rail where the operating means is positioned; a flexible shaft for actuating the delivering means from the operating means, and a conduit for lubricant extending from the delivering means beneath the rail to the discharging means. V

13. In a wheel flange oiler, a lubricant distributing member comprising a plate adapted to be positioned longitudinally of a railat'the inner side thereof for engagement with the rail engaging surface of a wheel flange and serve as a wipingmeans, means formed within the member for delivering lubricant to the upper edge portion of the plate, and means comp-rising vertically adjustable screw members supported by the rail for supporting said lubricant distributing member rigidly on the rail at one side thereof in position for engagement with said wheel flange.

14. In a wheel flange oiler, a plate member anchored to a rail at one side thereof in a position above the base flange of the rail, an oil distributing plate having a beveled upper edge and secured against the face of said plate member and against the adjacent side face of the rail head with the rail engaging surface thereof extending substantially in the same plane as the said side face of the rail head engaged, said oil distributing plate having oil distributing passages formed therein and terminating in the upper beveled edge portion of the plate at the side of the rail head.

15. In a wheel flange oiler, a plate member anchored to a rail at one side thereof in a position above the base flange of the rail, and extending upwardly to substantially the lower edge of the rail head, an oil distributing plate having a beveled upper edge and secured against a face of said plate member and against the adjacent side face of the rail head with the rail engaging surface thereof extending substantially in the same plane as the said side face of the rail head engaged, said oil distributing plate having oil distributing passages formed therein and termi-' nating in the upper beveled edge portion of the plate at the side of the rail head, the said oil distributing passages having open sides which are closed by said plate member.

16. A rail lubricating device comprising in combination a supporting member secured to the rail and a lubricant distributing bar secured to said supporting member, said bar being grooved to form a lubricant duct and arranged with the grooved portions of the bar against the supporting member and rail head.

1'7. In lubricating apparatus, means positioned at the side of a rail for discharging'lubricant between the rail head and a car-wheel flange, clamping means adapted to extend beneath the rail base and engage the side flanges thereof, and adjustable means for supporting the discharging means from the clamping means to properly position the discharging means at the side of the rail.

PERRY H. HAMILTON. 

